Batik is the ancient decorative art of creating designs on fabric using dyes along with a “resist”, such as melted bees wax. The oldest known examples are on silk screens in Japan, from the Sui Dynasty (AD 581-618). Today, batik is mostly associated with Indonesia, which maintains a vibrant culture of batik producers.

In this workshop, the student will learn how to use traditional batik dying methods to create a contemporary, personalized work of art on cotton cloth. The workshop will focus on the following skill building processes:

Focus on simple designs that exploit the spontaneous and organic nature of batik.

Learn the essential ordering of building the design from lightest to darkest color.

Build your individual style with the use of color and the unique effects available to you with this ancient decorative method.

With inspiration from color, pattern and shape and guidance from local collage artist Lisa Handley, students will create paper mosaic college art during this 2-hour workshop. Fun projects will include tile, jigsaw puzzle and crazy quilt paper mosaic designs. Enjoy a creative morning of “March madness!” All materials provided.

Colored pencils aren't just for kids—many botanical artists use them as their primary medium to create richly colored, highly detailed drawings. Artist-grade colored pencils come in a breathtaking array of colors, and can be especially beautiful on toned paper in shades of gray, blue and brown. Using botanicals as our inspiration, we'll learn how to layer colored pencil, both on white and toned papers, and how to incorporate other media. All skill levels are welcome!

Model United Nations (MUN) promotes an understanding of geography, social studies, and world history in a fun and interactive way, beyond the traditional textbook environment. Through role-playing, students bring current international issues to life and gain an interest and better understanding of global issues. In addition, MUN helps students improve public speaking, communication, and interpersonal skills; teaches students how to negotiate; emphasizes team-building, networking, and collaboration; and gives students the opportunity to hone their research and writing skills. The MUN classes prepare students for the Lyceum's 9th Annual Model United Nations conference on May 12, held at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey.

Are you a parent looking for ways to make math fun and exciting for your child? Look no further! Students will explore various types of non-video games and will participate in team and individual competitions from the simplest to the most mind-bending. Following this will be an introduction to the largest and smallest numbers known that describe our universe, and will show how the idea of proportions rules our modern world. Each session will end with a chance to solve some of the best puzzles and conundrums from ancient times to the present, including “The Prisoners Dilemma”.

Teams will be given the opportunity to create their own games, both games of pure strategy, and “real” games involving luck and bluffing. The focus will be on having fun while experiencing some of the most awe-inspiring ideas and discoveries of mathematics and science.

Vic Selby is the author of “Mathematics And the Human Condition”, and is now a curriculum consultant after teaching for 30 years at Carmel High School.

During this 2.5 hour workshop, SoulCollage® facilitator Lisa Handley will offer gentle guidance and encouragement as you gather compelling images, create your SoulCollage® cards and contemplate their meaning through mindful journaling exercises. Each unique card represents a different facet of your inner or outer world. SoulCollage® is a creative, insightful tool for self-discovery and personal growth. Join us to experience and enjoy the “3 I’s” of SoulCollage® - images, intuition and imagination! This workshop can also be a wonderful opportunity for a parent and teen to enjoy the process together! All materials provided.

The Young Poets Society is open to children in grades 3-6. The class will be taught by renowned local poet and teacher, Patrice Vecchione.

* Discover the power and beauty of your own voice.* Learn how to express yourself through poems.* Feel free to write your dreams and wishes and anything else that comes to mind.* A booklet will be published and children will have a chance to share their poems with others

Celebrate the coming of spring and explore your expanding world of ideas and feelings.

Feeling overwhelmed or in the funk of a mid-winter slump?Does your brain feel absolutely frazzled … or completely numb?Wanting to sometimes just turn everything off so you can get to know who you are now?Wish you could even remember what it feels like to be relaxed?

Join us for:A Half-day Mindfulness Retreat Designed to Help You Simply Relax, Be Present, Be Aware, Connect & Have Fun

Learning Mandarin Chinese is a great opportunity for expanding world view and developing calm, and mindfulness, through Chinese Painting, Calligraphy, Chinese Go and Tai Chi. We plan our activities to encourage students to fully engage with the Mandarin Chinese language and culture. In this way their experience is interesting and fun in a fully supportive environment. Students are grouped according to language proficiency. This Mandarin Chinese “After School Enrichment” program provides the opportunity to learn “socially”, with new friends helping each other master new language and culture skills and knowledge through role-playing and corresponding conversational practice.

Sessions have different themes and materials for new and returning students. The activities foster both collaborative and self-education according to their levels. This is also a great preparation for students planning to take Mandarin Chinese in Middle and High School.

Similar to the parent process of SoulCollage® for older children and adults, MeCards4Kids™ encourages creative self-expression and offers a fun and engaging opportunity for young children to explore, enjoy and appreciate their inner and outer worlds. MeCards are collaged with gathered images and imagination to represent different personality parts, feelings, interests or experiences, to honor family, friends, pets or heroes, to tell stories and much more. A deck of MeCards becomes a wonderful visual journal!

During this 2-hour workshop, SoulCollage® facilitator and artist Lisa Handley will provide guidance and encouragement as each participant gathers an assortment of images to create a MeCard that conveys their hopes, wishes and dreams for the New Year. They will also enjoy a journaling activity with their new card. All materials will be provided.

While botanical artists love springtime for sketching wildflowers, fall and early winter can offer opportunities for drawing and painting native plants too—especially the vivid colors of turning leaves and fruiting shrubs. Join science illustrator Erin E. Hunter as we learn a bit more about our native plants by drawing them from life, as well as some color theory and watercolor techniques. All skill levels welcome! Materials list provided upon registration.

Learn black / white line and stipple technique along with traditional watercolor to create fresh, dynamic colorful botanicals. A multiple step method is provided for students to lay the groundwork for a successful drawing and painting. Bringing art to science: observation, attention to detail and plant structure, measurement, accuracy, all made fun with integrating fine art skills into their work. There will a lot of opportunity for personal assistance and fun additions for the your tool box. Claudia's lectures are simple, straightforward and manageable including demonstrations, which will give you all the tools you need to create striking botanical subjects and new tips for your repertoire. There will be tea and an art reflection at the end of class.

CALLING ALL MIDDLE SCHOOL CREATIVE WRITERS• Do you have great ideas you want to turn into a full-length story? • Do you like to find new and fun ways to express your thoughts and ideas?• Do you dream of being a published author or poet? • Do you want to explore poetry, fiction, and personal stories in a safe and supportive environment?THEN COME JOIN US!

The Lyceum of Monterey County and UCSC’s Central California Writing Project have teamed up to bring you a 10-week after school workshop led by a master writing instructor, to help you highlight your own personal style and talents, and hone your craft! At the end of the workshop, we’ll have your finished work published in a professionally bound compendium and you can take part in a spring book signing event!

Mindfulness and compassion -- being aware and being kind -- continue to gain recognition as pathways to increasing clarity, connection and well-being in all areas of daily life. Improvement in academic performance, emotional regulation, physical health, and interpersonal relationships are some of the research-based benefits. In this 4-week course, middle school students and their parents will be engaged through guided meditation, teaching, discussion, and activities to develop awareness and management of thoughts and emotions, learn to identify and work with stressors, and cultivate self-compassion and kindness.

MeCards4Kids™ encourages creative self-expression, and similar to the parent process of SoulCollage® for older children and adults, each MeCard offers a fun and engaging opportunity for young children to explore, enjoy and appreciate their inner and outer worlds. Children gather images and collage imaginative cards to express different parts of themselves (qualities of their personalities, feelings, interests or experiences), to honor family, friends, pets or heroes, to tell a story and much more. A deck of MeCards is similar to a visual diary or journal.During this 2.5 hour workshop, Lisa Handley will provide guidance and encouragement as participants gather images of animals, plants and landscapes, create Fall-inspired MeCards and enjoy a writing activity to discover each card’s personal expression. All materials will be provided.Because MeCards4Kids™/SoulCollage® as a family activity can create wonderful connections between parents and children, we invite both parent and child participants to this workshop!

Ages: 8 to 12 (Parents may also register as participants and join in on the fun!)Date: Saturday, October 21, 2017Hours: 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.Location: The Lyceum of Monterey CountySize: Up to 8 participantsInstructor: Lisa HandleyFee: $35

Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world. Learning Spanish not only helps you communicate with people locally who may not know English, but also unlocks opportunities professionally and internationally. You can travel a lot of places knowing Spanish! This class provides middle school aged students with little or no prior knowledge of Spanish with the elementary skills, grammar, and vocabulary necessary to read, speak and write in Spanish at a basic level. Students will be given tools and materials that they can use to continue practicing at home each week. It's important to remember that learning a language is a lifelong journey, but that a small class setting can be a great place to start developing those language skills.The topics that we will cover include:

Introducing and describing yourself, your family, and other places, people, and things

Expressing your likes and dislikes, your needs, and your feelings

Obtaining and giving directions and other information like the time

Commonly-used expressions and phrases

Holidays (Halloween and Thanksgiving)

It is recommended that while students are enrolled in this class, that they dedicate at least one or two hours of additional study time at home to reviewing the material and doing the homework assignments.

Model United Nations promotes an understanding of geography, social studies, and history in a fun and interactive way, beyond the traditional textbook environment. Through role-playing, students are able to bring current international issues to life and gain a better understanding of world problems. In addition, MUN benefits students by improving public speaking, communications and interpersonal skills; teaching students how to negotiate; emphasizing team-building, networking, and collaboration; and giving students the opportunity to hone their research and writing skills. The MUN classes prepare students for the Lyceum's 5th Annual Model United Nations Conference on October 28, held at CSUMB.

During this 2.5 hour workshop, trained SoulCollage® facilitator Lisa Handley will offer guidance and encouragement as you gather compelling images, create your SoulCollage® cards and contemplate the meaning of your new cards through mindful journaling exercises. Each unique card represents a different facet of your inner or outer world. SoulCollage® is a creative, insightful tool for self-discovery and personal growth. Join us to experience and enjoy the “3 I’s” of SoulCollage® - images, intuition and imagination. This workshop can also be a wonderful opportunity for a parent and teen to enjoy the process together! All materials provided.

Red, yellow, blue, purple, orange, and green...the basic colors found in a rainbow. The arch of half circle in the sky created by light, clouds, and rain. What a great starting point for color theory exploration. Liquid transparent watercolors will be our medium to create fabulous paintings.

Spend the day hiking around this beautiful Monterey County treasure. Watch for falcons, hawks and condors wheeling around the ancient volcanic cliffs. Scramble through the Balcony Caves with your flashlight and emerge into a cool riparian habitat.

Are you a parent looking for ways to make math fun and exciting for your child? Look no further! Students will explore various types of non-video games and will participate in team and individual competitions from the simplest to the most mind-bending. Following this will be an introduction to the largest and smallest numbers known that describe our universe, and will show how the idea of proportions rules our modern world. Each session will end with a chance to solve some of the best puzzles and conundrums from ancient times to the present, including “The Prisoners Dilemma”.

Teams will be given the opportunity to create their own games, both games of pure strategy, and “real” games involving luck and bluffing. The focus will be on having fun while experiencing some of the most awe-inspiring ideas and discoveries of mathematics and science.

Vic Selby is the author of “Mathematics And the Human Condition”, and is now a curriculum consultant after teaching for 30 years at Carmel High School.

Mindfulness and compassion -- being aware and being kind -- are continuing to gain recognition as pathways to increasing clarity, connection and well-being at home, in school and at work. The benefits of these practices have been shown in academic performance, emotional regulation, physical health, and interpersonal relationships. Cultivating these qualities of being present, accepting and engaged in daily life can be powerful in building positive relationships with oneself, others, and the world.

In this 4-week course, participants will be engaged through guided meditation, teaching, discussion, journaling, gentle movement and relating games to deepen mindful awareness and compassion. Participants will develop awareness and management of thoughts and emotions, learn to identify and work with stressors, and cultivate self-compassion and kindness.

Ages: High School students and their ParentsDates: Four Sundays, March 19, 26, April 2, & 9Hours: 3:30 - 5:00pmInstructor: Marianne RoweLocation: The LyceumSize: Limited to 8 studentsFee: $100

Mindfulness and compassion -- being aware and being kind -- are continuing to gain recognition as pathways to increasing clarity, connection and well-being at home, in school and at work. The benefits of these practices have been shown in academic performance, emotional regulation, physical health, and interpersonal relationships. Cultivating these qualities of being present, accepting and engaged in daily life can be powerful in building positive relationships with oneself, others, and the world.

In this 4-week course, participants will be engaged through guided meditation, teaching, discussion, journaling, gentle movement and relating games to deepen mindful awareness and compassion. Participants will:

Make a personal herbarium. Historically herbariums have been used by botanists and gardeners to preserve and catalog their plant collections. Learn about famous herbariums such as those made by Charles Darwin, Lewis and Clark, and Emily Dickinson. Complete the process by making greeting cards and book marks from pressed plants which will be provided. Create a plant collage suitable for framing. Learn an easy way to press your own plants.

Have you ever wanted to dance salsa, but don't know where to start? This class is an introduction to the basics of salsa dancing and an opportunity for friends, couples, or parents and their teens to learn how to dance together. Students will learn the basics of Latin social dance as well as fundamental salsa steps and turns. Students will also learn a short history of salsa dance and a small dance combination that they can practice at home.

Ages: 8 and up (children must be accompanied by a parent)Date: Sunday, February 12Hours: 1pm-2:30pmInstructors: Ashley Gora and Ellen OlackClass size: Limited to 4 parent-child couples (additional children may also participate if pre-registered)Location: The LyceumFee: $25 per couple, $5 per additional child

During this 2-hour workshop, Lisa Handley will guide participants through unique heart-themed collage art projects in anticipation of Valentine’s Day. With a basic set of collage techniques, learn how to blend new and upcycled materials (such as coffee cozies and doilies) into Valentine-inspired collage art. Projects will include notecards, artist trading cards (to keep or trade) and mixed media artwork.

Artists will bring with them their favorite poem or verse and reference materials. We will explore how to take the ideas in their mind and apply them to a creative work of art. Transferring images, using symbols and mixed media, will be discussed. The end result should be a fabulous & personal representation of the written word.